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Wednesday 19 October, 2011
Baldini starts Roma job



England general manager Franco Baldini is already at Trigoria to take over his role for Roma.

Baldini was spotted at the Trigoria training ground today, where he’ll begin working as the club’s new director general.


The deal was put in place earlier this summer and Baldini was in on several transfer strategy meetings, even though he was still technically working for the English FA.


“Our technical-tactical project is 50 per cent complete, though the attitude and behaviour of the players is almost perfect,” argued director of sport Walter Sabatini.


“We are close to the model we want. Roma are still a work in progress, not only in terms of choosing the players, but this team exists and is not just a promise.”


Confidence was hit hard by Sunday night’s stoppage-time 2-1 derby defeat to Lazio.


“We played the long ball too many times and didn’t pass the ball around enough. Luis Enrique is looking for the right mix and he will find it,” concluded Sabatini on Romanews.eu.


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Some pictures...





Looks like they really dislike each other...

Italian Media


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Enrique = most casual coach in Italy

at least you got ur captain for more time than us ((

He'll be a big, big presence in the background for us. Expect him to work his magic in the background and iron out the rest of the wrinkles in this team.

It's all coming together quite nicely.

He will be crucial in our next transfer targets.

Im happy about him and Totti

McLewis wrote:He'll be a big, big presence in the background for us. Expect him to work his magic in the background and iron out the rest of the wrinkles in this team.

It's all coming together quite nicely.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves though. Baldini has quite a reputation in Italy, along with a not so good rapport with Milan and Juventus (not as bad now, since Moggi is gone). And we all know that Calcio is basically all politics, which may come to our disadvantage if a dispute does break. Many people around the club (notable fans, analysts, commentators, etc) have expressed their concern over this. It's nothing to worry about for the moment, but hopefully things go well from here.

ErPupone wrote:

McLewis wrote:He'll be a big, big presence in the background for us. Expect him to work his magic in the background and iron out the rest of the wrinkles in this team.

It's all coming together quite nicely.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves though. Baldini has quite a reputation in Italy, along with a not so good rapport with Milan and Juventus (not as bad now, since Moggi is gone). And we all know that Calcio is basically all politics, which may come to our disadvantage if a dispute does break. Many people around the club (notable fans, analysts, commentators, etc) have expressed their concern over this. It's nothing to worry about for the moment, but hopefully things go well from here.

Yeah there is always the possibility for controversy, but I suppose it's all a wait-n-see game now for the time being. We'll have to observe just what kind of ripples Baldini's return will make.

Friday 21 October, 2011
New Roma wanted Guardiola



Barcelona’s Pep Guardiola was offered the Roma job during the summer, new Giallorossi director general Franco Baldini has noted.

The official revealed the news on Friday during his official presentation on his return to a role with the capital club.

“I had a word with Guardiola,” stated Baldini. “I asked him if he fancied taking a step towards Roma. He responded by saying perhaps in a few years’ time…”

After much pondering, Roma eventually decided to replace Vincenzo Montella with Barcelona B boss Luis Enrique.

“I liked him from the start,” said the man who has worked alongside Fabio Capello for the English national side. “I instantly adored him as a person and the facts are proving me right.

“This is his first real experience, but he is talented and he has to make his own mistakes. He’s going to be a great Coach.

“I want him to be that immediately and he has all the characteristics to do so. We now have to give him the elements to succeed.”

Baldini was also inevitably questioned on Francesco Totti, after he labelled him as “lazy” in an interview, and the future of Daniele De Rossi whose deal expires in 2012.

“I didn’t say he was lazy, I was talking about the laziness of being asked to take part in various initiatives,” Baldini noted.

“These things won’t be asked of him by us. We want to put him in a normal situation and it wasn’t a criticism of him.

“I needed just five minutes with Francesco to clear things up.

“De Rossi? He’s very serene and mature,” added the former Real Madrid director. “I hadn’t seen him for years.

“I told him that if he only has half of the desire to stay that we have in wanting him to stay then we’ll agree a contract – no matter how long it takes.

“He seems orientated towards wanting to find a new agreement.”

I also recall him saying that he wanted Villa Boas for the Roma job back in the summer as well,but he was put off by the 15 million price-tag...